Air filter washer



May 2, 1939. c. LESTER AIR FILTER WASHER Filed Aug. 5l, 1937 Char/es Leser Mm Y Patented May 2, 1939 UNITED. ,srrliTEs4 PATENT oFFlci:

3 Claims.

The invention relates generally to washing apparatus and has for an object to provide a simple, inexpensively constructed and easily 'operated means for washing or cleaning the air filter units commonly associated with theair intake throats of automobile carbureters.

Modern automobiles commonly are provided with air filtering umts removably mounted on the air intake throats of the engine carburetersand 4which usually embody metal wool and' felt air filtering media for filtering out solid particles from the inrushing air and thus protecting pistons and cylinders of the engine from abrasion. After long periods rof use these filtering media become partially clogged and so retard the inflow of air into the engine cylinders as to starve the motor with respect to air for combustion'and create an effect similar to constant use of the choke, thereby reducing the eiciency of the engine and unnecessarily increasing gas consumption. The invention seeks to remedy this condition by the provision of simple means for cleaning these filter units.

In its more detailed nature, the invention resides in the provision of a container, lvertically supported and partially lled with a cleaning fluid, and a crank member rotatably and longitudinally movable in said container and equipped with a driving chuck to which filter units can be removably secured to be given compound or sim ple, longitudinal vand rotary, or longitudinal or rotary, movements in and out of the cleaning fluid for the purpose of cleaning the filtering media contained in such units.

With these and other objects in view which will more fully appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by following the description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the invention, the movable parts being in the normal, at rest position.

Figure 2 is a central vertical section, a lter unit being shown immersed in the cleaning bath.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a' detail perspective view of one of the selective driving chuck elements.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating the mounting collar portion of an air filter unit.

In the practical development of the invention, I provide a container 5, preferably cylindrical in general form, and supported with itsaxis disposed y vertically upon legs 6 secured thereto at 1. 'I'he container isopen at the top and'includes a coniform appendage 8 preferably equipped with a, drain valve 9.

The open topzof the container is closed by a removable cover I0 havingaflange II forembracing the upper end of thev container and which may be equipped with .bayonet slots I2 for cooperating with lugs I3 projecting fron` the container wall in securing the cover upon the container against accidental displacement 'during cleaning operations.v

At its base portion the cover I 0 is equipped with a cross spider I4 and the cover preferably is ex-` tended upwardly from the base portion to `provide a dome-like top portion I 5 spaced from the spider. The top portion I5 and the spider-I .4` are apertured to providespaced bearingsxlliforza'Z-rotor or crank memberI'I including av handle-fpbrtionflil extending above the cover in4 posltion't'o` be manually actuated for impartingsimovem'entto the member I1; Just below the dome I5ithe member I 'I is equipped with an abutment member I9 which may take the form of a simple cotter' pin and which is engageable with'the' dometo f 1liA limit movement of the member Il in the upwardv direction. A spring 20, coiled about the member I1 between the spider I4 and the abutment I9.

serves to yieldably `hold the member I'l in the normal, elevated position shown in Figure 1'.

At its lower end, projected well'into the interior of the container, the member I'l carries means for effecting removable attachment with filter units which are to be cleaned in the apparatus. Any suitable means for effecting this attachment may be employed. As an example, the lower extremity of the member I1 may be made non-circular as at 2l, to fit the like shaped receiving aperturfm a driving chuck member 22, and equipped with securing means 23 by which said chuck member can be removably secured upon the non-circular portion.

The air cleaner units supplied as standard equipment on various makes of cars differ somewhat in specific dimensions but most of them include the usual metal wool and felt air ltering media which filter out solid lparticles that would otherwise be drawn into the engine through the carbureter air throat. These units usually are removably mounted directly upon the carbureter air throat, and in order to adapt my apparatus to the cleaning of the various standard sizes of lter units, I provide a plurality of selective driving chuck units 22 generally the same -lilter unit has been removed. Thus, by simply changing driving chucks, an operator can clean the filter units carried by the various makes of automobiles.

The filter units usually each includes a grip collar 25 removably secured upon the carbureter air throat by a clamping screw 26, and this means is employed for removably securing the air filter units upon the mounting collar 24 of the respective drive chuck 22. A portion of an air filter unit 21 embodying the securing equipment 25, 26 is shown in Figure 5.

In the practical use of the invention, the container 5 is partially filled with a cleaning uid capable of washing oil and dirt from the filtering media contained within the standard air filter units. Gasoline can be used. Some models of air filters employ felt cloth disks which constitute the final filtering material, and these usually are removable. It is preferable to remove these felts prior to cleaning in order to prevent any packing or closing of the pores in the felts. When the particular model of filter unit does not admit of removal of the felts, it is then preferable to use a light solvent liquid, such as dry cleaner liquid, in order to avoid this packing of the felts.

When a filter unit has been Isuitably secured upon the selected driving chuck 22, the cover is applied to the container as shown in Figure 1. The handle I8 can now be employed to reciprocate the filter unit into and out of the bath of cleaner fluid, to rotate the unit in the cleaner fluid, or to impart a combination of rotary and reciprocatory movement to said unit in said bath for the purpose of thoroughly cleansing the ltering media in said unit of its accumulation of oil and dirt. After subjecting the unit to a thorough cleaning operation, pressure can be released from the member Il and the spring 20 will return it to its normal, elevated position shown in Figure l. In this position the handle I8 can be used to spin the unit and remove therefrom surplus cleaning fluid by action of centrifugal force.

By reason of the provision of the coniform appendage 8, all sediment is collected in a relatively quiet central zone. Thorough cleansing of air'filter units is thus greatly facilitated because precipitated solids are collected in a zone substantially free of agitation and are not again thrown up into the cleaning zone due to excessive agitation which would otherwise be caused by the cleaning function.

I claim:

1. In an air filter cleaning apparatus, an upright open topped container adapted to contain va bath of cleaning fluid, a removable cover for the container, means providing spacedbearings on said cover, a crank shaft vertically disposed and rotatably and reciprocably mounted in said bearings, an abutment on said shaft, spring means engageable with one of the bearings and said abutment for normally holding the shaft elevated, and an air filter driving chuck removably carried at the lower extremity of said shaft and having provision for removable attachment with an air filter unit.

'2. In an air lter cleaning apparatus, a container adapted to contain a bath of cleaning fluid, a removable cover for the container, said cover having an opening therethrough providing a bearing, a spider extending across said cover below the opening therein and providing a second bearing spaced from the said opening, a crank shaft vertically disposed and rotatably and reciprocably mounted in said bearings, spring means disposed between said spider and the opening in said cover and operatively connected to the shaft for normally holding the shaft elevated, and an air filter driving chuck removably carried to the lower extremity of said shaft and having provision for removable attachment with an air filter unit.

3. In an air filter cleaning apparatus, an upright open-topped container adapted to contain a bath of cleaning fluid, a removable domeshaped cover for the container, said covering having an opening therethrough providing a bearing, a spider carried by said cover below the top thereof and providing a second bearing spaced from the opening in the cover, a crank shaft vertically disposed and rotatably and reciprocably mounted in said bearings, an abutment on said shaft, spring means disposed between said spider and said abutment for normally holding the shaft elevated, and an air filter driving chuck removably carried at the lower extremity of said shaft and having provision for removable attachment with an air filter unit.

CHARLES LESTER. 

